Pueblo is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Chile & Frijoles Festival, which highlights Pueblo County’s most important crop in a variety of ways.
The popular event was created to promote agriculture in Pueblo and encourage people throughout the community and region to “purchase fresh, local produce at the numerous farm stands and specialty shops open during the festival and throughout the year,” the website says.
The Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival is the city’s second-largest tourism event each year, just behind the Colorado State Fair, said Duane Nava, president and CEO of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce.
The event attracts more than 150,000 people during its three-day run to downtown Pueblo, including guests from across Colorado and beyond.
“The economic boost it brings to not only our downtown community but our entire community, where people can go out and support our local restaurants, our local retail stores and really all of Pueblo’s small businesses, is a good boost to our local economy,” Nava said. “Any time we can showcase our community to outside visitors and really show how great the community is, it’s a great thing for Pueblo.”
Nava praised Pueblo’s investment in its agricultural community and support of the festival.
(Reaching the 30th anniversary) is a real testament to how committed we are and how much we support our agricultural community,” Nava said. “It started with a small festival, the idea of my predecessor, Rod Slyhoff. He deserves all the credit for envisioning what it could become.”
For Nava, the best thing about the festival is the smell of roasted chilies in the air.
“That’s when you know it’s time to harvest and roast some great chiles,” he said. “It’s also great to see our community coming together, families being out there, Puebloans enjoying it, and visitors from outside coming and experiencing the culture, people and businesses of Pueblo.”
When does the Chile & Frijoles Festival take place and how much do tickets cost?
The event begins on Friday, September 20th at 3pm and runs until midnight.
The festival starts on Saturday at 10am and lasts until midnight; on Sunday the festival lasts from 10am to 3pm.
Admission is $8. The festival offers free admission to children under 12 and military personnel with valid ID.
What is special about this year’s festival?
According to Nava, there will be several special events to mark the 30th anniversary, including an opening concert, a balloon festival and a fireworks display.
The opening show will take place on Thursday, September 19th, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with the conjunto band The Homeboyz and the rock band Bits & Pieces.
The event also includes a “cocktail hour” from 6 to 7 p.m.
Tickets are $35 per person and $350 per table.
The event will also include a balloon festival that will last the entire weekend. Events will begin at 6:45 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings at Langoni Fields on the corner of 24th and High Streets, and at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights at South Main Street and Alan Hamel Avenue. The balloon festival will include 30 hot air balloons to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the event, Nava said.
Finally, there will be a fireworks display over downtown Pueblo on Saturday night starting at 8 p.m., Nava said. Although fireworks have been shown on major anniversaries in the past, they are not set off every year.
“We wanted to make sure we did something special for the 30th anniversary,” Nava said.
What else is there to do at this year’s festival?
In addition to the new events, the Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival also offers its usual classics, including a wide range of events, entertainment and shopping.
Downtown’s Union Avenue will feature 200 street vendors selling a wide variety of goods.
The event also includes a farmers market where producers and vendors sell a selection of dried and roasted chilies and chili products directly from local farmers.
Chihuahua and Friends Parade
Dog owners ages 18 and older can dress up their pets for a parade through downtown that begins on the lawn of the El Pueblo History Museum.
Pre-registration is $7 at pueblochilefestival.com. Owners are asked to clean up after their pets and remember to bring water.
Chile and Salsa Showdown
Judges will select the best green and red chiles and the best salsa made from certified green or red Pueblo chiles in both non-commercial and commercial competitions. Submission times are Thursday, September 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. for commercial entries and 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for non-commercial entries. Judging of commercial entries will begin at 9:00 a.m., and judging of non-commercial entries will be at 1:00 p.m.
There is a fee of $25 for commercial registrations and $5 for personal registrations.
Rules and entry forms are available on the events page of the festival website. An awards ceremony will be held on Friday, September 20th at 6pm at the Pueblo Convention Center. Cash prizes will be awarded for the best entries in each category.
Jalapeno Eating Contest
Sunday’s closing festivities include the annual jalapeno-eating contest, which begins at 3:30 p.m. in the Xfinity Entertainment Tent at the corner of Main Street and Alan Hamel.
Thirty participants with strong stomachs and a penchant for spicy food will try to gobble down as many hot peppers as possible.
Where to park during the festival and what else you should know before you arrive
According to organizers, here are some other important things to know before attending the 2023 Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival.
- All parking spaces are free and there are three parking garages in the city center.
- In addition to the parking garages, there is a free, handicap accessible shuttle from Midtown to downtown. The shuttle will operate every day of the festival.
- The festival is 100% dog friendly, however the Midtown Shuttle only transports service dogs.
- Festival merchandise booths usually accept both cash and cards, but bars are cash only and some vendors may only accept cash.
- The children’s corner is located in the parking lot of Angelo’s Pizza.
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